Guard Touring Software

05-16-2017, 10:33 AM

Thought I would open up a thread to discuss guard touring software and hardware. I want to contribute to any questions you might have about its use how it helps how it hinders. Beat me up with your questions you either love it or you hate it.

Its come a long way since the days of the old Detex "wand," which basically just told the manager that the guard was awake and moving around. (There's been more than one thread in the past about how guards faked it or beat the system, but I digress.)

I think you have 3 issues with tour software. From a client's view, I want to see that the S/O is doing his rounds, but I also want a snapshot of my site, especially if the DAR is real basic - what issues do I need to deal with that affect my bottom line? As a security manager, I want to see that lights are being checked, safety equipment is there and ready, etc. The format needs to be easy to read and logical.

Then there is the S/O using it. The last app i used on an iphone was pretty good - you pretty much didn't need a separate DAR, because you could enter a code for a light out, a basic service call, etc. My only objection was the phone was an electronic babysitter - if I have to do rounds every 20 minutes, and I got stuck on the back 40 dealing with a transient, I don't need the phone loudly reminding my I'm late for a tour - I already know I'm running behind on shift.

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From a client's view, I want to see that the S/O is doing his rounds, but I also want a snapshot of my site, especially if the DAR is real basic - what issues do I need to deal with that affect my bottom line? This is exactly what your guard touring software should be doing for your client. They should not have to ask for this inforamation it should be available at their fingertips. Most software now has the ability to notify clients instantly via email with full details or if the client doesnt want to recieve that information via email they can login to most platforms and review the reports. PatrolLIVE (I know this is going to sound like a sales pitch but hey this is my product ) offers custom forms you can create specifically for your client, email notifications of every patrol with the full report to include photos, other attachments, gps data, and audio. Your client could be setup to only recieve priority alerts or none at all its up to them and you. The software should be helping three different people the SO, the Supervisor, and the client.

"As a security manager, I want to see that lights are being checked, safety equipment is there and ready, etc. The format needs to be easy to read and logical." This 100% I have seen some platforms that have super tiny text that officers can't read or understand how to use. Not everyone is a 20 year old kid who has had a smartphone since they were 5.

"don't need the phone loudly reminding my I'm late for a tour - I already know I'm running behind on shift" some clients I talk to ask about this and it is something we currently do not offer because I don't feel it would be beneficial to the masses however I don't see why this couldn't be turned on or off in an application. Security situations are always evolving so no 2 patrols are going to last the same amount of time and what happens when you are responding to an alarm or a vagrant?

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How accurate is the GPS on apps like that does it give them exact location what floor you are on etc.

If you are in a multistory building GPS will never tell you what floor you are on it will only show you that you are at that location. In order to see what floor someone is on the only way to verify that information is through requiring a photo capture or through nfc or geotag technology.